Clarissa Hale

MATERIAL/TECHNIQUE:
I use heavy gauge sterling silver plates & wires to make my jewelry. I use an acetylene with a torch tip as fuel to heat the silver & solder the silver together to make beautiful cluster jewelry. I use sterling silver bezels to cup the stones, each bezel cup is soldered together, & the designs are measured and soldered on to the plate one at a time. Thick turquoise I make a handmade stamped bezel. In between the clusters I solder silver round beads (some stamped like stars) to adorn the silver & stones. There are also twist wires around the cup of the main stone or old silver coins used. Heavy gauge wires are used to link each piece for a necklace. For the bracelets & rings there is pounding & forming to shape. The bigger the piece the thicker the silver. I use Mediterranean coral, Royston turquoise, sleeping beauty turquoise, orange spiny sea shell, purple spiny sea shell, & lapis. There is heating, cutting, soldering, setting stones & buffing to complete each piece.